By Bernard Burt

Born during the fitness revolution in the 1970s, a new breed of destination spas attracted guests with structured, budget-priced programs that focused on healthy lifestyles rather than pampering and weight loss. Two pioneers mark 30th anniversaries this October: The Oaks at Ojai in California founded by Sheila and Don Cluff; Spa Eastman in Quebec, Canada, created by Jocelyna Dubuc. Both founders are still active, inspiring new generations of spa-goers.

A CALIFORNIA SHANGRI-LA: THE OAKS AT OJAI

Displayed in the lobby of The Oaks at Ojai is Sheila Cluff”s 30-year-old exercise outfit, which still fits her. And the petite, 71-year-old grandmother has more energy than many of the hikers on her morning trek through the hills above Ojai. Turning over management to daughter Cathy didn’t slow Sheila’s schedule of fitness cruises, teaching and lectures, but now she devotes more time to her seven grandchildren – and ice skating.

When we talked recently, Cluff was preparing for a national figure skating competition in Las Vegas. A former Canadian professional skater and physical education teacher, she has made fitness a lifelong commitment. Thirty years ago, after purchasing an aging 46-room hotel in the center of Ojai, she saw the opportunity for new possibilities. Says Cluff, “The public image of spas was a place to dry out, starve, and shed weight. At the Oaks, we taught people how to take control of their health.”

Ojai back then was better known as an arts colony where the bookstore operated on an honor system. Located 90 minutes north of Los Angeles, Ojai sits amid mountains where the movie version of “Lost Horizon” was filmed in 1937. The spirit of Shangri-la seems to have inspired The Oaks. Part summer camp, part spa, it is a place of eternal youth.

Launching her no-nonsense combination of exercise and diet as an alternative to luxury resorts, Cluff hosted Hollywood celebrities as well as an obese Mel Zuckerman (the future founder of Canyon Ranch), and your columnist.

Today, the non-stop schedule starts at 6:30 a.m. with a mountain hike and ends with stimulating talks by fitness experts, nutritionists, and lifestyle book authors. Exercise classes include such options as aqua-toning, yoga, and low-impact aerobics. Three low-calorie meals are included in the daily tariff, and the chef will accommodate special diets. All guests have free access to The Spa Sanctuary eucalyptus steam room, redwood sauna, indoor whirlpool, and adjacent gym with Paramount equipment.

In the last thirty years, there have been some changes at the spa, however including a recent makeover that restored the hotel’s Mission-style exterior and intimate inn ambience, For extra space and comfort, stay in one of the five new suites with direct access to the swimming pool and garden. In addition, adds Cluff, ” There is less [of an]emphasis on aerobics. People are becoming physically active, spending less time in gyms but engaging in lifestyle conditioning through sports and outdoor activity.”

Join The Oaks anniversary celebration during October and save 30 percent off selected treatments with a minimum two-day stay, from $180 per person, double occupancy, per day. Stay 30 consecutive days through the end of 2007 and receive 30 percent off your bill. Also available are day spa packages, with or without overnight accommodation. For more information call (800) 753-6257 or visit www.oaksspa.com

CANADIAN SPLENDOUR AT SPA EASTMAN

By converting an old farmhouse and barn in Quebec, Jocelyna Dubuc created Centre d’Sante d’Eastman in 1977. Hardy guests hiked through snowdrifts, did aerobics in former stables, and slept in rustic cottages. An alarming device called the Oxygen Bath dowsed you with essential oils, carbon dioxide, and hot water, followed by an inhalation of pure oxygen to revitalize. But the combination of bucolic setting, country cooking, and exercise attracted a loyal clientele. Renamed and updated, Spa Eastman remains true to its roots as a country retreat devoted to well-being.

Dubuc was a schoolteacher in Montreal before discovering the spa experience. Her earliest impressions of the spa life: the grape cure, learning to meditate, yoga, and massage, “I felt that it was a great gift to have been exposed to that, and wanted to share it with others. At the same time, I was shocked by the fact that it was such a well-kept secret.”

Set in the rolling hills of Montreal’s Eastern Townships on a 315-acre nature preserve, Spa Eastman is both affordable and a vibrantly international destination spa. Arriving at the main building, your first impression is more ski chalet than spa. The cheerful welcome of a central fireplace invites guests to mix and meet. Exercise is optional, not strenuous, but you are encouraged to join morning walks in the glorious gardens that surround the lake. On frosty winter nights, moonlight walks and snowshoe treks are popular.

Options include a consultation with a naturopathic doctor who analyzes your energy level, prepares homeopathic remedies, and Bach herbal and flower elixirs. Hydrotherapy includes Watsu-like floats choreographed in a specially designed pool, and aqua-exercise in the indoor swimming pool. And they still offer the oxygen bath.

Therapists are bi-lingual, treatments called “soins” range from Swedish to deep-tissue massage, relexology, Reiki, and seasonal facials to remedy dehydration. Staying in the main building adds an extra level of comfort and convenience, as you can dine in your robe supplied at check-in, or walk out to the lakeside pool bar. Rooms here are Zen-like white, featuring fireplaces and private terraces. Housed under the same roof are 24 treatment rooms, a hair salon, pools, a dining room and wine bar.

Spa Eastman certainly differs from other spa experiences. Says Dubuc, “We are a real destination spa – meaning that our first mission is to create an environment where people will be able to learn how to improve their way of life. We are completely dedicated [to]the wellness and well-being of our clients. We tailor services according to our guests’ needs, i.e. whether they want a vacation getaway, spiritual rejuvenation, healthy weight loss, or total tune-up for mind and body; we offer a personalized program.

“Even though I was fully aware of the existing need for healthy vacations 30 years ago, I just couldn’t imagine the impact it would have and how it would touch all walks of society, and that it would be available no matter your budget. What a long and unpredictable road it has been. To think that, 30 years ago, it all started with a dream, without any standards whatsoever to follow. Now, we keep ahead and reinvent. We just have to think of treatments, life enhancement programs and fitness classes offered 10 years ago, compare to what we find now; it is night and day.”

Spa Eastman’s 30th anniversary package is a three-day “cure,” including two nights accommodation, all meals, selected treatments, from $495 per person, double occupancy, $555 single. Stay five nights for $165 per day for two persons sharing a room. For more information call (800) 665-5272 or visit www.spa-eastman.com

Bernard Burt, member of the Healing Lifestyles & Spas Advisory Board, is co-author of “100 Best Spas of the World” published by the Globe Pequot Press.
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